• From my computer: Select an image saved on users’ computer.
• My Picasa Web photos: Select an image from users’ Picasa Web Albums.
• Public gallery: Select from public photos featured in Picasa Web Albums.
• Editor’s picks: Select from a set of Google recommended images.

“While Netflix can be found on an increasing number of products such as Internet TVs, Blu-ray Players, video game consoles, and other stand-alone devices, the WD TV Live Plus HD media player is unique as it allows digital media buffs to access and play all of their own personal HD media stored anywhere on their network or USB drives,” commented Dale Pistilli, vice president for marketing of WD’s branded products group. “At the same time they can easily stream Netflix, Pandora, YouTube and other Internet favorites to their HDTV.”

Impressive Highlights Of WD TV Live Plus:

• Full HD 1080p video playback and navigation
• Support a wide variety of popular media formats
• Stream premium content from Netflix instantly (Netflix unlimited membership needed)
• Connect to your home network via an Ethernet port or optional USB wireless adapter (Wi-Fi)
• 2 integrated USB ports let users connect multiple USB storage devices and access them simultaneously
• Support Windows 7 “Play To” for easy streaming the computer files to a big HDTV
• Transform USB storage devices into a media player
• Size: 1.57 x 3.94 x 4.94 inches ; Weight: 0.67 pounds

The new ultra-compact WD TV Live Plus full HD (1080p) media player that comes bundled with a remote control is now available for a MSRP of $149.99.

You may have heard about USB 3.0 capable device in storage market but have you ever wonder that there could be some new display panels that could potentially be integrated with such Super speed USB port for graphics display? Just recently, 3M has announced a new monitor that is dubbed to be the industry first USB 3.0 powered LCD panel suitable for mobile computing for travelers or laptop usage.

The LCD panel is still in prototype stage so don’t expect it to be in huge display and with merely 18.5-inch diagonal screen, it can display up to 1366 x 768 resolutions. Besides its capability to stream video and graphics directly onto its display via a theoretically 5Gbps high bandwidth throughput, what is more impressive here is the whole panel can me supplied merely with two USB 3.0 ports without the need of additional external power supply. This is no doubt a great advantage as compared to DisplayLink panel such as the Mitsubishi’s first DisplayLink based LCD panel that is still based on USB 2.0 port with extra requirement on external power source for it to work correctly. Surprisingly, the next generation panel is claimed to be only drawing 8 watt during normal use, which is only half of what required by conventional standard monitor.

No pricing and actual availability date yet, we should expect this panel to be available soon and becoming popular with more and more motherboard integrated with USB 3.0 ports.

A group of hackers exploited a hole in an AT&T Web site to get e-mail addresses of about 114,000 iPad users, including what appears to be top officials in government, finance, media, technology, and military.

The leak could have affected all iPad 3G subscribers in the U.S., according to Gawker, which broke the story on Wednesday. Among the iPad users who appeared to have been affected were White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, journalist Diane Sawyer, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, movie producer Harvey Weinstein, and New York Times CEO Janet Robinson.

A group that calls itself Goatse Security tricked the AT&T site into disclosing the e-mail addresses by sending HTTP (hyper text transport protocol) requests that included SIM card serial numbers for iPads, the report said. Because the serial numbers, called ICC-IDs (integrated circuit card identifiers), are generated sequentially, the researchers were able to guess thousands of them and then ran a program to extract the data by going down the list.

The hole in the AT&T Web site exposed e-mail addresses that correlated with serial numbers in iPads.

(Credit: Gawker)

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel confirmed the breach to CNET, saying the company turned off the feature that provided e-mail addresses on Tuesday, one day after learning of the problem from someone not affiliated with the hacker group.

"AT&T was informed by a business customer on Monday of the potential exposure of their iPad ICC IDS. The only information that can be derived from the ICC IDS is the e-mail address attached to that device," he said in a statement.

"We are continuing to investigate and will inform all customers whose e-mail addresses and ICC IDS may have been obtained," he added. "At this point, there is no evidence that any other customer information was shared."

Representatives from Goatse Security did not respond to an e-mail or phone call seeking comment, but Goatse analyst Jim Jeffers gave an interview to CBS News. The group, whose name references an Internet shock Web site, looks for security holes in software, including browsers.

Jeffers said the attack could have allowed someone to take control of the iPad and that potentially every 3G iPad subscriber was affected. Although AT&T maintains that only e-mail addresses were compromised, Jeffers said "it will allow someone who does the proper research to possibly target iPad 3G users and take over their iPads, and they could sniff traffic, they could act as the user of the iPad."

Jeffers also said the group had contacted AT&T and waited until the company fixed the hole before going public with it.

Representatives from Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

A Web site issue
The problem is solely related to security on AT&T's Web site and not Apple's tablet, security experts stressed. Meanwhile, the type of weakness discovered in the AT&T site is fairly common, they said.

"It is an authentication error to not require user authentication before returning private data," said Chris Wysopal, chief technology officer at Veracode. "This is the type of vulnerability that would be found with a very basic Web application assessment. Apple should require its service providers to show proof of an assessment of its Web apps if sensitive Apple customer is stored there."

Neither e-mail addresses nor SIM serial numbers are considered to be sensitive information, experts said.

"Doesn't seem like a huge deal to me," said Charlie Miller of Independent Security Evaluators. "It's not like peoples' Social Security or credit card numbers were compromised."

But try telling that to Rahm Emanuel or any of the officials in the Defense Department, federal court system, or Goldman Sachs whose e-mail addresses could be targeted for phishing and other attacks.

"Now everyone in the world knows these people have iPads, and here's their serial number and here's their e-mail address," said Bill Pennington, chief strategy officer at White Hat Security. "This puts them in a more vulnerable state."

There is also the possibility that a SIM serial number could be used to get other customer information through this or other vulnerabilities on the AT&T site, he said. And there's a chance that not only iPad users were put at risk. "I believe this number could identify any 3G device on the AT&T network," not just iPads, Pennington said.

"Obviously, AT&T is using the ICC-ID as some sort of authentication mechanism," said Kevin Mahaffey, chief technology officer at mobile security firm Lookout.

"The question is: in the back-end are there other systems that are using the number as an identifier for other things?" he said. "There is a trend to use identifiers associated with devices as a way to trigger billing or interact with the account. There is some trust associated with these numbers."

Another security expert said the breach revealed enough information that a determined attacker could use to target the specific device.

"At least in the United States, some major GSM providers are known to use ICCID values that contain the lower nine digits of the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), which is considered to be a protected value. The other digits that make up an IMSI are either known or can be easily guessed by an attacker," said Don Bailey, a security consultant at iSEC Partners.

"Knowing a subscriber's IMSI allows a potential attacker to target that specific subscriber's GSM handsets or devices using an IMSI catcher, which itself is a device that can intercept or manipulate GSM traffic," Bailey said. "An attacker with access to an IMSI catcher can intercept the traffic of high-profile targets potentially leading to a loss of privacy. With the lowering cost of IMSI catching equipment, the ability for an attacker to correlate ICCIDs with high-profile individuals, then derive the IMSI from each ICCID, is a substantial threat to both corporate and personal privacy."

According to Gawker, Goatse Security shared the exploit it wrote for the AT&T site with others. But Pennington said it seemed like the hackers were more interested in shaming AT&T over lax security than making money off the situation.

"I don't think the data would have a lot of value in the underground," Pennington said. "I think their primary motivation is shame and guilt."

Apple iPad is selling well with its ability to extend to various market segments such as educational, entertainment, gaming or as a pure tablet PC. If you wonder how it can fit into cosmetic industry, Scalar Corp has answer for you with actual working product for such a niche market. Just recently, the Japanese company has announced the development of its portable microscope device targeted to be paired with iPad and iPhone for this industry. Named as AirMicro model A1, it is a wireless LAN capable microscope that can be connected to iPad/iPhone in local area network with ability to zoom up to 200x and display the actual image on the relatively large iPad or iPhone for convenience use.

Internally, the portable microscope is equipped with a 5MP CMOS image sensor which can capture QVGA format video at a frame rate of 15fps. At the same time, it is featured with a power efficient IEEE802.11b compliant transceiver chip from GainSpan Corp that could definitely prolong the battery life for true portability with just three AA size batteries. In terms of software stacks, the package was developed by Procubed Inc with necessary functions such as DHCP as well as broadcasting capability so that the same media source can be delivered to multiple units simultaneously for real time viewing with easy convenience and great efficiency.

Priced at USD390, the portable microscope is a bit pricey for personal use but should be reasonable for business or educational purpose. With actual availability to US market by mid of June 2010 first followed by end of June 2010 in Japanese market, the company plans to push 50,000 units in the first year followed by 550,000 units after three years in world wide market.

ation, capable of delivering output image ranges from 9 – 80 inches.

In addition to the 1GB on-board memory, Samsung SP-H03 also incorporates a microSD card slot and USB port for an easy, quick wireless presentation via USB storage devices, microSD memory card as well as MP3 players, saving the time for connecting the SP-H03 to your laptop or PC.

“With portable design, high quality projection, and built-in multimedia playback features, the SP-H03 is an expansion of Samsung’s expertise in LED technology and mobile productivity,” commented Tom Grau, senior manager for projector marketing at Samsung Electronics Information Technology Division. “The H03’s robust and intuitive features make it an easy, efficient and affordable choice for everyone from tech-savvy travelers to mobile presenters, professionals and educators.”

The new ultra-compact, lightweight Samsung SP-H03 pico projector which measures 2.5 x 1.5 x 2.5 inches and weights just 6 ounces is expected to be available at Best Buy and other retailers later this month for a MSRP of $299.99.

“The My Book Studio LX drives offer high-speed Firewire 800 performance and a design that will look right at home next to their G5 or MacBook Pro computer,” commented Dale Pistilli, vice president for marketing at WD’s branded products group. “With the customizable e-label, My Book Studio LX drives help videographers, photographers and graphic designers create, organize and locate their clients’ valuable content, no matter how many drives are in their studio.”

In addition, the My Book Studio LX for Mac also includes renowned WD SmartWare software that offers continuous backup, 256-bit hardware-based encryption and more useful functionality.

WD’s My Book Studio LX external hard drive that features WD GreenPower Technology is offered in 2 variants of memory capacity – 1TB My Book Studio LX and 2TB My Book Studio LX, are now available at shopwd.com and other retailers for a MSRP of $199.99 and $269.99, respectively.

• 2.8-inch QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) TFT touch screen
• 3 megapixel camera with KODAK PERFECT TOUCH technology
• Quick one-touch upload to Facebook, MySpace, Picasa and Photobucket
• Web browsing with multi-touch pinch to zoom and Adobe Flash support
• Built-in A-GPS, eCompass, Wi-Fi and MicroSD memory expansion slot
• CrystalTalk PLUS ensures crystal-clear voice quality by eliminating background noise
• Up to 7 customizable home screens with pre-loaded apps and widgets
• Data Manager checks data usage right from the home screen
• Happenings and Messages widgets
• Seven color variations – Licorice, Fairway Green, Raspberry Crush, Brilliant Blue, Poppy Red, Saffron and White

“FLIPOUT merges Motorola’s design heritage with Android to deliver a new take on the typical smartphone form. In an incredibly compact square, FLIPOUT fits neatly in your palm, purse or small pocket, making it fun and easy to stay connected while on the go,” commented Ralf Gerbershagen, vice president and GM for Mobile Devices, Western Europe, Motorola. “For fans of social networking, FLIPOUT also features enhancements to MOTOBLUR, allowing users to connect with their networks however they want.”

The new Motorola FLIPOUT with MOTOBLUR which measures 67 x 67 x 17 mm and weights just 120 grams is expected to be available in Europe beginning second quarter of 2010. No words on its pricing info yet.

In addition, BlackBerry Bold 9650 is featured with 2.45-inch display, 3.2MP camera, optical trackpad, Push to Talk, full HTML Web browser, GPS, Wi-Fi, MicroSD memory card slot and more multimedia capabilities. With the powerful 1400 mAhr battery, the BlackBerry Bold 9650 can support up to 5 hours of CDMA talk time.

The new stylish BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone is now available online at www.verizonwireless.com, and slated to be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores starting June 10 for $149.99, after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new 2-year service contract.

Key Features Of Motorola MILESTONE XT720:

• 550MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor
• Large 3.7-inch WVGA (480 X 854 pixels) multi-touch display
• High-resolution 8 megapixel AF camera with xenon flash and HD 720p video recording
• Google Android 2.1 OS combined with Motorola’s touch UI
• GPS with Motorola’s MOTONAV turn by turn navigation
• Built-in Bluetooth, WiFi, accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Pre-loaded with Google mobile apps including Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail and YouTube
• Free 8GB microSD memory card is included in a package, supporting up to 32GB
• Easy, quick playback on a big HDTV thanks to HDMI connection
• Talk time: up to 9 hours ; Standby time: up to 320 hours

The new slim, compact Motorola MILESTONE XT720 Android phone is measures 60.9 x 115.95 x 10.9 mm and weights in at 160 grams. The release date and pricing details of Motorola MILESTONE XT720 are yet to be known.

The new slim, stylish iPhone 4 smartphone which measures just 4.5 x 2.31 x 0.37 inches and weights only 4.8 ounces will be available for pre-order beginning June 15, slated to hit Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Apple and AT&T stores on June 24. iPhone 4 that offered in black and white colors will be available in 2 model – iPhone 4 16GB and iPhone 4 32GB, costing for $199 and $299, respectively, with a new 2-year service agreement.

Existing iPhone customers eligible for an upgrade between today and the end of this year have been made immediately eligible for AT&T’s best pricing for iPhone 4 with a new two-year term commitment. Consumers can verify upgrade eligibility at www.att.com/iphone today. Business customers can verify upgrade eligibility at AT&T’s Premier site, https://www.wireless.att.com/business/.

Great news for current AT&T iPhone customers who are eager to own the latest iPhone 4 smartphone! AT&T has moved up the upgrade eligibility date for existing iPhone users by up to 6 months. In simply words, those “Upgrade Eligible” customers can purchase the new iPhone 4 with the best price – iPhone 4 16GB ($199) and iPhone 4 32GB ($299) – with new two-year contract.

In addition to the United States, the latest iPhone 4 also will be available in UK, France, Germany and Japan beginning June 24, 2010, expanded to other regions in coming July.

First, make sure that you have the right type of null modem serial RS232 COM cable that can be purchased in electronics shop. Just in case you can’t find any, there is a way to rework it by salvaging two normal COM cable with cross connection between pin 2 and 3 of your COM port. In other word, the re are only 3 pins that are required for connectivity, namely pin 2, 3 and pin 5. While sustaining pin 5 from one end to the other, just connect pin 2 (of one end) to pin 3 (of the other end) and vice versa and you are done (Refer simple diagram below).

Once after download the Universal DreamUp utility, launch it with both PC and Dreambox decoder connected and you are ready to go. First, go to select the correct Com port on the utility screen (corresponding to the one used on your PC). Remember to not tick the ‘Use Network’ and leave all the Local IP/ Remote IP empty. If the connectivity is successful, you will notice the ‘Box attached and ready’ message on the status. To be safe, do the flash erase that will clear everything single content in the flash embedded in the system. Then, browse for the correct image file (in .IMG format) and do the new flashing by clicking on ‘Flash’ button. The speed is pretty slow, with 10kb per second uploading that will normally take approximately 10 minutes to complete the whole flashing process.

Once completed, it will calculate CRC32 on STB, erase flash as well as flashing from its memory. Hopefully all these simple steps will serve as an alternative just in case you are not able to flash your Dreambox decoders by any means.